WILLIAMSBURG, VA- The Iona College baseball team fell to 0-4 on the season with tough losses to Buffalo and William & Mary this afternoon.   The Bulls scored three runs in the top of the ninth to post a 12-9 win over the Gaels in the first game and the Tribe exploded for 15 unanswered runs in the night cap in their 18-4 win.

Rookie 2B Chris Burke went 3-for-6 with two runs scored an RBI to lead the Maroon & Gold against Buffalo.  Junior DH Andrew Passerelle and sophomore C/1B Chris Griffin each had two hits - including a double - in the loss.  Passerelle also scored two runs and drove in one while Griffin had two runs batted in.   Freshman CF Dean Dignelli hit his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot to left field in the fourth inning.  He also recorded an RBI walk in the fifth.

Freshman Derrick Bligh (0-1) took the loss in relief.

Against William and Mary, the Gaels took a 4-3 after five an a half innings.  Dignelli hit his second two-run shot of the afternoon in the fourth inning.   In the fifth, senior C Andrew Wernicki doubled home freshman 1B Michael Chiaravalloti for the Gaels third run.  Junior 2B Nick Rossetti tripled to lead off the sixth inning and scored one batter later on freshman RF Matthew Simone's RBI ground out.  

Passerelle went 3-for-5 and was the only Gael to record multiple-hits.  Freshman Jeff Cortland (0-1) took the loss in relief.

The Gaels return to action next weekend in a three-game weekend series with Richmond.  The two teams square off on Friday (Feb. 27) at 2:30 pm.